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The Geneva Motor Show is just over a month away, and while we've seen a few other tantalizing previews, this convertible GT 86 concept is among the most interesting. Officially called the FT-86 Open concept, the car "previews a possible future development of the award-winning GT 86 sports coupe." Already proven to be a very capable and fun car, the GT 86, or Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ as we know it in the U.S., could benefit greatly from a convertible version. Rumors of just such a car have been brewing almost since the car's launch. Yes, we know such a car is likely to be heavier and slightly...
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GM Consolidates Powertrain Divisions, Moves Performance Build Center To Corvette PlantGeneral Motors Company [NYSE:GM] is overhauling the structure of its powertrain division, including investing up to $200 million in the construction of a new testing facility and consolidating several other facilities with its Global Powertrain Engineering Headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan. The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Apple's Siri Eyes Free Coming To Acura And Honda VehiclesIf you own a newer Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 6, you probably already know how helpful Siri can be. Though far from flawless, Siri is like a virtual assistant standing by to answer (almost) any question. Apple has been developing a Siri feature called Eyes Free that takes the...
Kurt Ernst -
First RC 350, Now Lexus Registers RC F TrademarkLast November it was revealed that Toyota had filed for the trademark “Lexus RC 350,” leading to speculation that this would be the name of a new model from the Japanese luxury automaker. In Lexus naming tradition, the “RC” part of the name suggested that the new model would...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
One Of The First 2014 Maserati Quattroportes Helps Raise $340k For CharityThe 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, the sixth generation of the luxurious Italian sedan, recently made its world debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show and is now on its way to showrooms all across the country ahead of its sales launch this spring. However, one of the first cars to be sold to a customer...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes, Ford And Nissan Join Forces On Hydrogen Fuel Cell ResearchThe parent company of German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz, Daimler, has announced it’s formed an alliance with Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] and Nissan to help accelerate the development and eventual launch of hydrogen fuel cell technology for cars. The announcement comes just days after it...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
On February 15, the vehicles of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum, located in Madison, Georgia, will be sold by RM Auctions. Among its inventory is a car that certainly doesn’t fit into the “microcar” realm, but instead helped to shape how Americans view both Japanese cars and sports cars in general. Launched as a new model for the 1970 model year, the Datsun 240Z delivered an incredible amount of performance and handling for the price. Its overhead-cam in-line six engine made 151 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque, which was backed up by features like a four-wheel...
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Bentley Sales Up 22 Percent In 2012, But Still Short Of RecordBentley sales in 2012 experienced growth in all major regions, ending the period with 8,510 units, an increase of 22 percent on the 7,003 units sold in 2011. However, the final figure was still well short of the 10,014 units Bentley sold in 2008, just prior to the start of the global financial...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2014 Subaru Forester 2.0XT first drive reviewAfter a day of blasting through otherworldly Saguaro cactus forests of Southern Arizona, much of it on dusty, unimproved gravel backroads—on the way to hot-lap time at the track—we can't exactly say that we put the new turbocharged 2014 Subaru Forester 2.0XT through the kinds of...
Bengt Halvorson -
2014 Nissan GT-R Priced From $99,590A far cry from the 2008 launch pricing of just $69,850, the 2014 Nissan GT-R's base price of $99,590 significantly revises its price-performance ratio that made it such a stunning offering five years ago. At the same time, the latest prices are only about $3,000 higher than last year's, and the...
Nelson Ireson -
Rare 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda For Sale, Complete With StoryPerhaps due to the low volume built and even-smaller surviving population, Plymouth Hemi ‘Cudas are among the most valuable and sought-after cars from the muscle car era. Finding one in mint condition is a rare occurrence, and even less-than-pristine examples will price well into the...
Kurt Ernst -
MINI Clubman Bond Street: 2013 Geneva Motor Show PreviewIf you're a jet-setting retail therapist--amateur or professional--you'll appreciate the latest special-edition MINI Clubman: the Bond Street. Due for its public unveiling at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, the Bond Street edition promises an extra dash of style on top of the usual quirky MINI...
Nelson Ireson -
The 2014 Cadillac ELR has been given the mildly ironic nickname "Coupe de Volt," in honor of its Chevy Volt-based underpinnings--and Cadillac's legendary Coupe de Ville. This March, the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance will feature the original prototype of the Cadillac Coupe de Ville by Fleetwood, a car that hasn't been shown to the public in 64 years. Only four of the prototypes were built, each different, and this is the only surviving example. Its history is unique, as well, as it was given as a gift by General Motors to former CEO Charlie Wilson upon his departure from GM to serve as...
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Bentley's SUV, Next Flying Spur, & Moving Down-Market: Interview With Christophe GeorgesDespite the world's economic troubles--or perhaps, because of them, according to some economic theories--Bentley and its very wealthy clients are doing better than ever. A new Continental GT Speed Convertible was just launched in Detroit, and the brand's first SUV is nearing final approval. There's...
Nelson Ireson -
Aston Martin Rapide S: more power, sharper styleThe Aston Martin Rapide S has just landed, though it won't reach our shores until next month at the earliest. The long-rumored Rapide S delivers on several fronts, and gains the title of Aston's most powerful four-door to date. Rated at 550 horsepower, the Rapide S is 17 percent stronger than the...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes’ New Safety Tech Aims To End Wrong-Way DrivingWhile it may seem like an unlikely occurrence, cars traveling in the wrong direction of traffic is becoming more and more prevalent. Just last year for example, even we reported on two such occurrences, one taking place in Mississippi and the other in Washington. Back in 2009 Nissan developed a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Bentley Enhances The Mulsanne: Gilding The Gilded LilyThe 2013 Bentley Mulsanne has been even further enhanced with new Comfort and Entertainment Specification packages.
Nelson Ireson -
2013 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction RecapIf you spent last weekend glued to Speed, watching the Barrett-Jackson Auction live from Scottsdale, Arizona, you probably came away with the same confused outlook we did. While some cars sold for impressive amounts, like the $1.1 million paid for the first production 2014 Corvette Stingray, or the...
Kurt Ernst -
The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with VIN ending in #0001 has sold at auction for an incredible $1.1 million, more than 20 times the expected cost of the latest ‘Vette. Of course, getting to own the very first example to be sold to the public has its premium, and all proceeds from the sale will be going to benefit the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Nevertheless, the amount paid is still staggering. The final bidder at the Barrett-Jackson auction held yesterday in Scottsdale, Arizona, was NASCAR team owner and avid Corvette collector Rick Hendrick. The weekend’s...
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GM CEO Dan Akerson’s 1958 Corvette Sells For $270k: VideoA 1958 Chevrolet Corvette owned by General Motors CEO Dan Akerson sold at auction late on Friday for $270,000. All proceeds from the sale will now go to the Habitat for Humanity charitable organization, which aims to revitalize the Morningside Commons neighborhood on Detroit’s lower east...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New Rolls-Royce Wraith To Debut At 2013 Geneva Motor ShowRolls-Royce has announced it's bringing a new model to the 2013 Geneva Motor Show taking place in early March. The new model will be called the Rolls-Royce Wraith, a name we haven't seen since the Silver Wraith ended production in 1959. While no other details about the Wraith have been revealed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lamborghini Calà Concept To Take Part In 50th Anniversary DriveThe Lamborghini Calà, a concept car dreamed up by Italdesign Giugiaro as a possible replacement for the Jalpa, and unveiled for the first time in 1995, will be hitting public roads in the very near future. The Calà will be taking part in the Grande Giro Lamborghini, an epic rally that...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda And Fiat Finalize Deal To Build New Alfa Romeo Spider In 2015In May 2012, Mazda and Fiat announced plans to co-develop a new Alfa Romeo convertible sports car based on the underpinnings of the next-generation MX-5 Miata. Under the plan, the new Alfa Romeo convertible, which is tipped to revive the Spider name (although Duetto has also been hinted at), will...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Goes Back To Where It All BeganSixty years ago today, the Chevrolet Corvette made its debut appearance at GM’s Motorama exhibit in New York City. New car introductions were a big deal then, and anxious spectators lined Park Avenue to get a look at Chevy’s futuristic roadster. Production wasn’t even planned when...
Kurt Ernst